Users Guide

Chapter 3 Description
Tape Drive Support
Dell PowerVault ML6000 User’s Guide 33
Each tape cartridge must contain a barcode that the barcode scanner
reads during the inventory process. During the inventory process, the
barcode scanner reads the fiducial labels to identify the types of
magazines and tape drives that are installed in the library.
Every tape cartridge must have a unique machine-readable barcode
attached to it. Tape cartridges cannot have duplicate barcode labels. This
barcode identifies the cartridge. The library stores the physical location of
the tape cartridge in an inventory database. All library or host requests
typically reference the location of the tape cartridges based on this
barcode number. Barcode labels are mandatory and must adhere to
specific standards. For more information on barcodes, see Chapter 14,
Working With Cartridges and Barcodes.
Tape Drive Support
Details about tape drive support include:
• Every library configuration must contain at least one tape drive.
• 5U Library Control Modules can hold a maximum of two tape drives.
• 9U Library Expansion Modules can hold a maximum of four tape
drives.
Please see Supported Components on page 421 for a list of tape drives
and media supported by the PowerVault ML6000 library.
The library supports mixing different tape drive types within the library
and within partitions. For information on how to do this, see Working
With Partitions on page 71.
SCSI and SAS tape drives are attached directly to the host. FC tape drives
can be directly attached to hosts or to the Storage Area Network (SAN).
FC tape drives can also be attached to FC I/O blades, which manage
communication between the hosts and the drives. For more information
on FC I/O blades, see Working With FC I/O Blades on page 109.
Tape drives are installed into tape drive slots in the rear of the library. If a
tape drive slot is empty, a filler plate covers the empty tape drive slots to
prevent debris from entering the library. Tape drives are shipped filling